Good Beginnings at SweetWater-Part One: Our Raw Diet

I thought I would get up on my soapbox for a little bit and share with you how I raise my dogs at SweetWater and why I do it.  As many of you know, I strive to rear my puppies and adults in the manner that provides them the best chance at a long and healthy life.  It's my personal belief that if you are going to own an animal, then you owe them certain things.  I give my animals lots of free space to run; a loving home environment; good & consistent boundaries to live by; clean water and fresh air and a really good diet.  And when necessary, I use alternative minded supports to maintain or recapture well being.

I started out with Shetland Sheepdogs and Rough Collies as my breeds.  And I started out following the traditional Western model.  A quality advertised dog food in a bag and lots of vaccinations and regular wormings.  Oh, and baths.  Lots of baths.  At that time I regularly showed my animals in conformation and obedience and always worried about them getting sick from contact with other dogs.  Well, long story short, I watched my beloved breeds become weaker and sicker over the years as they developed all kinds of genetic problems and diseases. Many fingers pointed at the preservatives in the dog foods.  But something wasn't working.

As I grew older I educated myself on nutrition.  A wonderful mentor in the Shelties had the outrageous habit of feeding her dogs cooked whole grains and tofu and all kinds of vitamins and supplements.  Her animals were vivacious and had lush coats and she would just laugh when her peers ridiculed her and would say, "I'll compare my dog food bill with your vet bill any day!"  She was a wonderful inspiration and I too, started to experiment with different diets on the dogs and read up on as much information as I could.  I happened upon a book entitled "The Complete Herbal Handbook for Dogs and Cats" by Juliette de Bairacli Levy and my eyes were opened wide.  While her methods were quite extreme, I found that it did make sense to something deep within me.  So I started to feed more raw foods and I was very pleased with the results.  My dogs were naturally lean and well muscled; had tons of energy and sharp thinking and focus; and just shone with good health.  My last four dogs have all been raised on good food and raw foods and they all lived to ripe old ages without cancers.  All of those dogs were never seen by a veterinarian except in the case of a trauma or accident.

It all makes tremendous sense to me.  I mean your dog is totally dependent on what you choose to feed him.  You can give him cardboard in a box for thirteen years or you can give him lots of variety and feed him similarly to way you feed yourself.  Nothing drives me more crazy than to see a really over weight dog.  What he eats and how he exercises is totally under the owner's control and is every pet owner's responsibility as far as I am concerned.  There's lots of information available today and lots of new products coming on the market.

And a raw diet is very easy, not expensive when you see the big picture of prevention, and is becoming much more popular with many choices available to people.  I prefer to keep it very simple and use a variety of raw meats-with the basics being beef, chicken or turkey.  I would say about 3/4 of the meal is good, fresh raw meat warmed to room temperature.  I add some boiling water and maybe a cup of high quality dry dog food.  The dog food is to add roughage and minor base supplements.  I sprinkle on some Wysong Call of the Wild supplement powder to cover any missing bases, add a teaspoon of a good fat----and done.

Every day to the basic meal above I can play with the variety a bit.  Sometimes the fat is flax seed oil, sometimes olive oil, sometimes raw butter or a slice of an avocado.  A teaspoon of finely chopped greens is always welcome--parsley, fresh mint from the garden, or a few sunflower sprouts.  If I can get fresh fertile eggs, I'll pop one of those in the meal on occasion.  If we have leftover steamed broccoli from last nights dinner, maybe a few pieces will be used.  I'll switch up the dry dog food from lamb to fish to add variety too.  Sometimes if I find a good deal I'll use fish or lamb instead of the usual meats.  You have to work with your budget and with your dogs tolerances.  But the general rule to remember is as fresh and raw as possible.  You want to include some fat and skin and bone and cartiledge-WHOLE foods.

How much to feed totally depends on the individual dog.  I have an adult male who is about 68 pounds and very laid back.  He eats about a pound to a pound and a half of meat and maybe a cup of food a day.
He takes about 15 minutes to eat.  I have an older female who is about 58 pounds and eats half that in one minute.  My teenage male who runs constantly can eat two pounds a day plus all the bones he wants.  And of course, growing puppies will eat more food more frequently until they slow down at two years of age.  You just have to know your dog.  On rainy days when we may skip the morning run, I feed less.  On a beach day when all the dogs run for several hours I might give extra.  If they whine and lick at their empty bowls--they might need more food that day.  It's all common sense.  You want them to be interested in their food and eat it all quickly with gusto.  I never, ever, leave food out all the time for them to pick at.  Blue Picardies are naturally long and lean, but you should never be able to see the ribs.  You want a nice layer of skin and muscle and fat before you feel the ribs.

The first thing you will notice in a dog fed a poor diet is the "pudgy" soft look of their bodies.  The coat is another key and will be brittle and harsh to the touch and dull.  They will have protruding bellies just like those sad television commercials with the starving children.  A healthy dog on a good diet just shines.  The eyes are bright and alert, the coat is soft and shiny, the muscles are lean and well formed over the body.  And the dog has energy.  We call this "bloom" in the dog world, when an animal is just bursting with good health.  It's very easy to spot.  The skin on these dogs isn't flaky, or red or bumpy.  The ears aren't waxy or dealing with yeast infections.  The eyes are clear and not filled with green gum. And the teeth are clean and the breath sweet.  Stools are well formed and not stinky.  Usually a dog on a raw diet has a much smaller stool than one on dry dog food alone.  And forget about having to have the anal glands cleaned out for dogs on a good, raw diet.  So many, many pluses for the animal.  Oh, yes.  Gas.  If you've ever lived with a dog that cannot digest his dry food, you know they can clear a room with the gas!  Imagine what's going on inside the dog's stomach!  Raw foods are digested more easily and completely, used better by the body and wastes eliminated easily.

And I should mention that Blue Picardies don't do really well on grains-especially corn and wheat.  And not too much soy or beans.  Dog food advertisers are getting tricky now and promoting "grain free" foods, but most of them are full of starches-in particular potatoes, yams and peas.  And too much starch is as bad as too much grain, so read your labels.  I stick to brown rice, barley or oatmeal.  In a perfect world and plan, the dogs get a meal or two a week of just oatmeal and the fats and supplements to rest the kidneys from processing all of the protein.  And once a week a fast is very appropriate.  Raw goats milk if you can get it, is a wonderful food for weaning puppies or for adults too.

A key feature of a good raw diet is raw, meaty bones.  Every day after running my dogs in the morning, I let them cool down and then feed them their main meal in the late morning.  (NEVER feed a dog before running them, and always let them cool down before a meal.)  Then in the late afternoon I will give them a raw bone of some variety.  Their absolute favorite is a raw beef rib with lots of meat on it--they will eat most of the bone also.  A nice big beef knuckle bone that's been cut in half and the fat trimmed off is consumed in whole!  Marrow bones they adore.  Smaller turkey necks, chicken wings or chicken backs are acceptable but they wolf down chicken necks like candy-crunching them to cleaner teeth.  The minerals and cartilage in these foods are crucial to a healthy dog.  They help maintain their teeth and bones but also the fluidity and development of the joints.  Many people worry about hip dysplasia and I am a firm believer most, if not all but the most severe cases, could be prevented with a great diet and proper exercising and consideration of the growing body.  A good bone can take an hour of a dogs attention and really works a puppy's jaws so they are less likely to chew something else.  All uneaten bone pieces are picked up promptly to keep the yard clean and discourage yellow jackets.

Another key component of the raw diet is lots of clean, fresh water.  Lots of people fill their dogs bowls with the garden hose---but if you read the label of those hoses they clearly state that they have cancer causing elements and warn you not to drink from them.  Water quality is something you think about for yourself, why not your animals?  Well water can have problems and so can tap water.  Get your water tested and do what's needed to provide your family and companions with a healthy source.  There are so many easy ways to filter your water now, and it makes sense seeing it's a diet component that is ingested every single day.

I rarely waste money on biscuits or treats.  For training I just use the dry dog food.  And I'd rather spend the money on the raw diet than the funky pigs ears and expensive bones.  Most of those things are full of chemicals, preservatives and artificial colors and flavorings.  And I believe much of that contributes to overloading the body with toxins over the years and eventually cancers.  Give them the raw bones.  Or a raw carrot once in a while!  On really hot days, my dogs love a chunk of cool melon for a change.  And if you really want a treat that will get attention during training, make a batch of homemade jerky in the oven and cut it into tiny pieces!

And it's important to always keep your vision on the bigger picture.  If a puppy was born of parents in vibrant health, and is given the proper nutrition to in turn bloom into vibrant health, then the body and immune system are in wonderful working order and able to do the job in warding off disease on their own.  Parasites and disease attack weak systems.  But in a vibrant animal, there is no need for chemical prevention methods and instead, the dog's body can be trusted to stay in balance and well being.

The bottom line is use your common sense and make it work with your lifestyle.  But fresh, raw and high quality is the way to go if you want a healthy, happy dog for many years to come.  We start 'em out right here at SweetWater and hope the new families embrace the philosophy.

Puppy development

My puppy was SO GOOD and now he's not listening to me at all!  She NEVER did that before!
These are the cries of my puppy owners as their puppies grow and change.

Puppies, like people, go through special stages in life relating to their physical, mental and emotional growth.  In this post, I'd like to share some of the main things to watch for in your puppy's development.  If you know what to expect, it can make it an easier stage to transition through.

A puppy is born both deaf and blind.  Their best senses are touch and scent.  They are completely dependent on the mother and it's a big job to feed, clean, and keep warm a whole litter!  That's why I usually give my mothers complete quiet and privacy the first week.  They need to recover from the birth and also to get into a rhythm with their babies.  The first two weeks the puppies sleep about 90% of the time waking only to nurse.  Even so, it's a critical stage to handle them every day and get them used to the movement of being picked up and stroked and set back down.  At two weeks the eyes and ears will start to open and the pups will begin to move about the whelping box.  Teeth are already coming in by 20 days and by three weeks they will begin to paw at and play with their littermates.

Even at such an early age, the pups are formed strongly by the actions of the mother.  Pups who live with an experienced, calm mother and are handled daily with regular living noises and actions about them are sure to get the best start.  Contrary to popular belief, this is not a time to "protect" the pups from noises and new experiences.  You want the pup to have these experiences so they can learn to adapt and adjust back quickly to a calm demeanor.  Puppies learn at this stage of development one of the most important lessons in a dogs life and that is to accept discipline.  Mother dogs can be very gentle and loving with their babies...but they also will "rough" them up and roll them over getting them to submit to her.  She'll start "talking" to them with grumbles and growls when they don't respond in submission to her messages.

From four to seven weeks, puppies are eating real food and are much more active and sophisticated in their play.  Lots of growling and chasing and physically wrestling.  Social interaction is crucial at this stage and the more people, animals and experiences they can be introduced to in a safe environment, the better.  It's absolutely critical that the pups have complete access to their mother and hopefully other dogs to learn how to be doggy social too.  Given the space and the situation, pups will begin to explore more independently and spend time away from littermates and adults.  From 5-7 weeks puppies have very little sense of fear and will explore and investigate if given the chance.  Most puppies at this stage are very trusting and friendly.  This is when each individual puppy's personality starts to show more strongly.

By eight weeks pups crave more individual attention.  They are ready to start permanently learning and bonding to new families.  But unfortunately,  from eight to ten weeks is also a period when pups will be more wary and fearful of new situations.  So it's important to go slowly with a new puppy.  Especially the first week set a strong schedule for the pup with ample rest and quiet periods.  You want to give him some time to adjust to the new environment of his home.  By all means still act normally around the pup and make sure they are continually exposed to sounds and smells and new things, but make sure you are paying attention and the puppy is in a safe situation.  You want to be a calm and reassuring presence, but allow the puppy to work things out on their own and thus, gain confidence in themselves.  Keep training consistent and situations positive during this period of 8-11 weeks.  A strongly negative experience at this stage can imprint on a puppy for life, so be conscious of what situations you are placing the pup.

From 9-12 weeks it's very important to give the pup many situations to develop in.  It's not the quantity of interactions as much as the quality of the experience.  A puppy who has always had a good interaction with other dogs but has only met five new dogs at this stage is a much more stable learning environment than a puppy who has been forced to meet every man, woman and child walking down the street, who never has a quiet, safe space to sleep uninterrupted and who has been beaten up at the dog park!  Puppies who never interact with other dogs at this stage will bond more closely to their humans, but they may never develop the proper doggie etiquette at dog parks when older.  It's best to have a nice mixture of people and puppy play so they learn to adapt to every situation.  Try and find a puppy of the same age so they can wrestle and be physical with each other.

From 13-16 weeks pups are cutting teeth and becoming independent.  Puppies who have been very compliant might start forming an opinion of their own and testing dominance and boundaries and even resorting to some temper tantrums!  It is a very critical stage of learning for the puppy and extremely important to make sure you are training in small lessons every day what you want from your puppy.  The puppy can distinguish between playtime and worktime now and so puppy classes are good.  Lots of distractions are also good, so a puppy learns to focus on the owner and to comply when told to, not when they feel like it.  This is the time above all others to follow through on your commands.  Never let a puppy run away and ignore you now, or growl or snap at you.  You don't want to bully them, but you do want to make it clear that you will stick it out, EVERY TIME, and stay with the lesson until the puppy complies.  Very, very important time to teach your puppy to tolerate grooming, nail trimming, children, other animals......set the standard now for what you expect the pup to live for the rest of his life.
This is not the time for impatience or rushing.  Be calm, patient and consistent in your lessons.  Establish to the pup you are the leader and you are to be obeyed.

A very important stage to watch for is a "flight" instinct which can occur from 4-8 months.  It can last for a few days or several weeks.  The puppy who came when called every time may suddenly become "deaf" to your calls.  It's important to limit situations where the pup is off leash at this stage and ignoring you.  Keep them on leash as much as possible in open situations and praise them up for correct responses!  Once the pup is listening well again, you can slowly go back to off leash situations, but once a pup has learned it can run from you and isn't corrected, you're in for a frustrating time.  In the pack, a leader would never tolerate a pup to ignore them and would chase them down and correct them hard.  When mother calls, puppy comes-always.

There is also a second "fear" period that comes to the puppy from 6-14 months.  It is usually regarding a fear of new situations and may come and go during this period so be patient and don't label your puppy as fearful.  It's very, very common for this period to be uncertain for them and even when they look all grown up at 14 months, the fear response can surface.  It's normal and part of their development.  A well socialized puppy who has been outgoing with people and new situations may overnight start to fear people and things it would never have noticed before.  Again, don't stop the new things,  just make sure the overall situation is safe and allow the pup to figure things out on their own.  NEVER console a fearful puppy--you are reinforcing the fear.  Just be calm and encouraging and allow the pup to gain their own awareness and self confidence.  Never pressure or force at this stage, some situations may take minutes and some much more time.  Give them the time needed to work it out.  The puppy is still teething and having hormone changes and growth spurts so it makes sense they may feel out of balance and unsure.  It's often helpful to keep a light, playful attitude and show the pup that all is well.  I learned this with my Australian Shepherd who started to become very fearful and aggressive in this stage whenever the doorbell rang.  I wasn't having much success with correcting the behavior, it was only intensifying her reaction.  But my wise friend asked to try and when the doorbell rang, she jumped up and exclaimed very excitedly,  "It's Bob!  It's Bob!" and ran to the door, knocking the dog aside!  My puppy forgot her fear and got caught up in the excitement and wiggled her way to see who is this fantastic being Bob at the door?  My friend had the guest "Bob" give the pup treats and before you knew it, my dog loved to hear the bell ring!   So keep it light and keep on track with the big picture.  If the pup is unsure and you are uptight-bad combination.

By 18 months to 2 years you are on the downward slide.  Most puppies are still filling out their leggy, long bodies but if you've done your work, they are making a smoother, more consistent transition to their adult behavior.  A dog will usually make a big shift in energy at age two and show a settling in and calmer demeanor.  By now, they are pretty confident in their abilities and trusting of your leadership.  They have gone from the Ugly Duckling to the Beautiful Swan and will continue to mature until about age four.  There is still much to learn from age one to age four so by no means think your dog is done developing!  But there should be a more relaxed training and learning going on as you've established your relationship solidly.

The development of a good dog starts with the breeder in choosing good genetic stock and sound parents.  From a good beginning with the dam and breeder, a new owner must give the puppy what it needs as far as socialization and consistent training.  Put the time and effort into those first two years and you will see your puppy reach their full potential and become the dog you've always wanted.

Male or Female?

For many, many years I had a bona-fide preference for the female.  I always had girls and if I wanted to do a breeding, I would take them to a stud owned by someone else.  But when I decided to breed Blue Picardies, I knew I was going to have to get my feet wet and buy my own male to use as a stud.  Well, the jokes on me because I've discovered that boys are wonderful too!  In fact, Flint, my primary stud is bar none the sweetest, most easy going dog to walk the earth.  I adore him.

So my advice to perspective puppy buyers is not to get too fixated on the sex you are choosing but instead to focus on the qualities of the dog you are looking for and finding the best match for your family and situation.  You would think that all people are looking for the same thing in a puppy, but that's far from the truth.  When I take a deposit on a puppy, I ask lots of questions of my buyer.  Why do you want a puppy?  Why a Blue Picardy Spaniel?  What qualities are you looking for in an adult dog?  Do you work at home?  Do you have children?  What ages?  Do you have other pets?  Have you had a dog before?

Some people put the emphasis on the way the dog will look--beauty is important to them.  (As it is to me and why I chose such a lovely breed).  For others, they want a really fun, really safe, easy going dog for their kids to grow up with.  Some are looking for dogs to train for hunting.  Others are interested in a high-spirited, fast thinking dog for agility or obedience work.  Some want the excellent nose to use in search and rescue operations.  Some want a super quiet, super sweet puppy that will be able to go into service work at elderly facilities or library reading programs for young children.  Some want a constant companion who is funny and light hearted and a real character and don't mind a little bit of strong will to work with.......so many, many choices.  I work with my puppies every single day and come to know them really well.  I see the quiet butterfly girl and the boisterous boy and the hunter's nose all develop and do my very best to match them to the perfect home.

And all that being said, I can only tell you what I have experienced with my own dogs between the sexes.  The males are usually a bit bigger and have that extra "glamour" gene.  They are sturdy and statuesque and handsome, with broader chests and wider heads.  My boys are usually much less challenging to train and more likely to comply the first time I ask them to do something.  They are very, very sweet and affectionate and tolerant.  With the boys, a grumble is usually all you hear to get a situation handled.  They are goofy and fun loving and like a good roll in the green grass and the morning dew.  And they are equally content lying on the concrete or up on the canvas dog bed.

My girls are a bit more incorrigible.  They like to mix up the waters a bit.  They take some stronger boundaries at times because they want to be involved in everything, and think they have some input.  My females, especially the ones who have been mothers, tend to be a bit bossy and might revert to a stare down or a snap to get their point across to a younger dog.  Then all is forgiven and we move on--as long as it is clearly understood that they are in charge!  They are sharp and loyal and watchful, quick to pick things up and just as affectionate.  But the girls are more likely to paw at you if you stop petting them or "talk" to you in their excitement to get their point across.  Females are smaller and lighter in build but just as lovely in a softer, feminine way.  And they will always choose the best spots, like the princess on the pillow!

Both males and females are beautiful dogs; they are both affectionate and playful and bond with their owners.  Both are great with kids.  Both are athletic and love to run.  Both are sweet and love to snuggle.
Both can have personality plus.  Just like us, each brings their own uniqueness to life.

The variety within the breed

It always fascinates me to see the variety within the purebred dog.  Granted, over years of breeding you do develop a "look" that is recognized as the specific breed.  But many people forget that to create that look and "pure breed"; you had to combine a variety of breeds to get it!  So at heart, all purebreds are mixtures and this lends to variety of types within each pure breed.

And the Blue Picardy is not different.  The three main breeds used to create the Blue Picardy Spaniel are the French Spaniel, the English Setter and the Gordon Setter.  The French Spaniel is mainly a flushing dog, they are very heavy bodied and built low to the ground.  They have thick, heavy ears and a longer coat like most spaniels, and love the water.  The English Setter is a pointing breed, much longer and leaner and lighter in body with much less coat and boundless energy.  The Gordon Setter is bigger than the English and heavier in build.  They have the longest legs and height, are also bred to point, and have great stamina.
All three breeds are friendly, athletic, eager to please, and have great noses!  So these three breeds have combined to bring their best traits to the Blue Picardy.  The Blues have incredible noses and great stamina.  They are long and lean and can cover ground quickly.  They are a dual hunter, in that they will point the birds, but also are extremely willing to flush and retrieve both on land and water.

In my research and experience, there tends to be two main varieties that show up and they each favor in turn the spaniel or the setter.  The look I prefer and am breeding toward has more setter characteristics.  These dogs have shorter coats with less fringy hair--just a touch on the legs and ears.  They have full, long muzzles and long necks and bodies-giving them a wonderful elegance.  I prefer the darker, almond shaped eye and longer legs.  The body should be slightly long in relation to the legs and perceived as rectangular over square when viewed from the side profile.  Some have heavier features like the Gordon Setter and some slimmer like the English Setter, but in both the heads are smooth and elongated.

The other type is more spaniel in appearance.  These dogs are smaller and have more coat and fringe especially on the chest and ears.  They also tend to have a lighter eye going towards golden sometimes and a sag to the eye lids-again, reminiscent to the spaniel heritage.  The heads tend to be a bit blockier and more square with a wider, bonier skull.  Some of the dogs I have found in France actually resemble a large Cocker Spaniel to me more than the proper Blue Picardy!  These dogs can have the proper outline, but slightly shorter legs and a much heavier body, and bigger features-wider heads, bigger feet.

The consistencies in both types are in temperment and energy.  All the Blues have sweet, devoted personalities, and a softness to their nature.  All of them are good, sturdy physical specimens that can play for hours on end.  The coats, whether short or with a longer fringe, are still soft and silky to the touch even as adults.  And the coat coloring is consistent, beginning at birth with pure white and black and softening as they age to black with silver tipping.

And while it is nice to have a preference in type, with such a rare breed, you cannot limit yourself to one line or kennel.  Instead you have to find the animals that produce the look you are seeking even though they themselves may not have the perfect look.  As a breeder I am always striving towards a picture of what I am developing without sacrificing things I want to maintain.  Or abusing the breed by randomly breeding without a thought to a vision and a program.  And it is also why as a breeder, I ask for my puppy owners to sign an agreement to neuter.  Breeding is a big responsibility and takes education and commitment.  You have to be willing to spay/neuter an animal that isn't producing the traits you want even if it is a sentimental favorite or you've invested in buying/rearing the animal to breeding age.  I personally will not sell a puppy to be bred unless it is an animal I feel is worthy of breeding and contributing to the line and the perspective owner shows me that they understand and wish to undertake the responsibility of learning about the breed and making the tough decisions.

No matter the best of intentions and plans, Mother Nature still has the final call in any breeding!  But it's a sweet, sweet feeling to have studied pedigrees and heritage; chosen your foundation stock;  reared them to healthy adults; planned for a breeding and successfully whelped a litter of lovely puppies.  Watching them grow into beloved pets and beautiful animals is so fulfilling.  And that's why I hope this blog is successful in documenting this process!

Why A Blue Picardy Spaniel?

I get asked this question so much!  How ever did I find a Blue Picardy and why did I choose one?  I have had a very long love affair with dogs and have worked with many breeds-mostly working and herding.  I have always been attracted to beautiful dogs, but dogs that were intelligent and fun to train and watch move.  It's one of my most favorite things to take my dogs out early and watch them running the fields in the early morning mist--such a fascinating scene of poetry in motion to me.

My family had just said good bye to our Portuguese Water Dog after a long and happy life and I wanted a pup for my then nine year old son.  At that time, I was married and the only dog my husband and I could ever agree on was an English Setter.  I love sleek, beautiful dogs and he preferred scruffy, rough lookers.  But somehow, we both liked the English.  My research on the breed wasn't surprising:  the "show" English were beautiful but lacked sound bodies and minds and were too large....in the 90 pound range.  The "field" setters were sound physically and smaller, but lacked the beauty I wanted and were too intense on hunting to make the companion I was seeking for my son.  I wanted a beautiful dog, middle sized, easy to train, lovable, athletic and sweet.  I wanted a "safe" dog for my son's first dog of his very own-nothing with aggression or too hyper.  And I wanted a breed that hadn't been ruined with poor breeding policies or that had gained such popularity that again, the breed had suffered from being bred for profit only.

So I spent many, many hours at the library looking at rare breed dog books and happened upon the Blue Picardy Spaniel.  From the photograph and the description, it was exactly what I was looking for. But when I started to research for breeders and puppies online I quickly saw that it wasn't going to be easy to get one!  I didn't want to spend years on a waiting list!  But good things always seem to line up for me concerning these dogs and I found a breeder in Canada who happened to have a litter right then and available pups!  I was on the plane toot sweet and brought home our first Blue Picardy Spaniel.  I still have such a vivid memory of placing that sleepy puppy into the waiting arms of my sleepy son and knew I had made the perfect choice as they melted into one another!

I've never been disappointed.  The Blue Picardy Spaniel has proven to be extremely sweet and tolerant of kid energy.  Easy to train because they bond so tightly to their humans and want to please.  Beautiful to look at, nothing too fancy and overdone, but a natural beauty and elegance I really enjoy.  Easy care coats, and a nice medium size, (my biggest dog has been about 68 pounds and most are in the 55 pound area).  And extremely adaptable and easy to live with.  They love to retrieve in water and on land, swim, hike, chase birds at the park, snuggle up with you as you read or follow the kids around hoping for a crumb....they just jump on board with whatever is going on.  They have a very uplifting attitude and are a happy, joyful presence in the house.  They love activity and games and are great for people who do obedience or agility work.  They get along well with all the other critters and people and have enough of a natural instinct that people are very happy with training them for hunting.  They are this incredible mixture of powerful, athletic body and sweet, gentle soul.  Amazing.

THAT'S why a Blue Picardy Spaniel.

The Beginning: He-e-e-r-e We Go!

Hi Puppy Owners and Hugs to the Pups!

I have been the lucky recipient of such wonderful stories and photos about your puppies that I decided to try and create a blog page where all my puppy owners can link in and share.  When you bring home that new member of the family I think it's nice to have a forum to share.  And nice to have a place to find support when going through some stages-like the teenage stage!  We can all discover together how this breed develops and what makes it so special.

It's amazing how this growing community is finding each other and gaining such a momentum all on its own.....I thought it would be fun to have a place to learn about your pup, your pup's litter mates, coming litters and the breed in general  as well as to provide a little bit more information for people trying to find out about this rare breed.  We now have grown adults, a litter of teenagers at 17 months; a litter at 6 months and a litter at 4 months.  I'm learning as I go along and really appreciate your helpful comments!